Method and apparatus for setting up an on-board charger in an electrically driven vehicle

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for setting up an on-board charger in an electrically driven vehicle with the following features: a proxy resistor of a charging socket of the vehicle is queried ( 44, 68 ); if the proxy resistor is present ( 46 ), a master configuration ( 48, 50, 52 ) of the on-board charger is carried out; and if the proxy resistor is not present ( 70 ), a slave configuration ( 72, 74, 76 ) of the on-board charger is carried out.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to German Patent Appl.No. 10 2015 103 193.0 filed on Mar. 5, 2015, the entire disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention. The invention relates to a method for settingup an on-board charger in an electrically driven vehicle. The inventionalso relates to a corresponding apparatus, a computer program and astorage medium.

2. Description of the Related Art. A plug-in vehicle is known inautomotive technology as an electrically driven hybrid or electricvehicle with a traction battery that can be charged by an electricalconnection to a stationary power supply system. A plurality of on-boardchargers (OBC) may be arranged in such a vehicle for particularly rapidcharging. In such a case, only one on-board charger is connectedelectrically to the charging socket of the vehicle and is connectedlogically as the “master,” while the other (optional) on-board chargersare connected logically as “slaves” and are connected to the “master”only via a communication line.

EP 2 618 451 A2 discloses a charger network set up by a method thatincludes switching-on a charger that carries out a self-test. Thecharger communicates with the network via a communication means, setsitself as master and delivers energy to a battery pack.

DE 10 2012 200 489 A1 discloses a charging system for use in a vehiclefor charging a vehicle battery with a first charging apparatus and asecond charging apparatus. The charging apparatuses are connected to avehicle bus. Each charging apparatus has a master display digital inputand decodes the input to determine its role as the master chargingapparatus or the slave charging apparatus. The master charging apparatusconfigures its connection to the vehicle bus so that a master nodemessage record is used. The slave charging apparatus configures itsconnection to the vehicle bus so that a slave node message record isused.

DE 10 2011 017 567 A1 describes a twin charger system for charging abattery with current that is controlled by two chargers connected to thebattery in a parallel. One of the chargers is operated in accordancewith a voltage control mode and the other charger is operated inaccordance with a current control mode.

SUMMARY

The invention provides a method for setting up an on-board charger in anelectrically driven vehicle, a corresponding apparatus, a correspondingcomputer program and a corresponding storage medium.

This approach is based on the fundamental idea of providing standardsoftware for each on-board charger (that is to say for both the “master”and the “slave” at the same time). The software is adapted automaticallythe first time the vehicle is connected to the stationary power supplysystem. In this case, the on-board charger electrically connected to thecharging socket of the vehicle is configured as the “master.” Possiblyadditional on-board chargers that are not connected electrically to thecharging socket are configured as “slaves” for communication with the“master”, whereby the system is configured automatically for thecorresponding charging power (for example 11 kW or 22 kW) depending onthe number of on-board chargers in the vehicle.

This has the advantage that the software for the “master” and for the“slave” can be maintained uniformly, serviced and tested. Additionally,software must be installed only once during production of the vehicle.

Automatic configuration of the master or slave is provided by queryingthe proxy resistor of the charging socket. This proxy resistor usuallyis used to detect when a charging plug is plugged into the chargingsocket. The charging plug has a temporary resistor that is connectedelectrically in parallel with the proxy resistor and is evaluated usinga logic unit in the on-board charger. A voltage can be detected usingthe logic unit in the on-board charger even if the charging plug has notbeen inserted, and that voltage can be used to detect the chargingsocket.

Provision also is made for the range of functions of the programmablelogic controller (PLC) present as standard in an on-board charger to beactivated only when the on-board charger is connected as the master.There is a saving in the quiescent current by deactivating the PLCfunctionality in on-board chargers connected as the slave.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawingsand is described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the situation on which a method according to the inventionis based.

FIG. 2 is a simplified program flowchart of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle with a master on-board charger 10 thatconnects to the entire charging socket peripherals 18 via a chargingsocket connection 16 and detects and deals with the entire insertionprocedure. In contrast, a slave on-board charger 12 is only responsiblefor providing the additional power. The concept is offered to charge thetraction battery 14 more quickly on public infrastructure. All relevantdata for controlling the charging process are interchanged between themaster 10 and the slave 12 via a communication path (controller areanetwork, CAN). The master on-board charger 10 is always connected to thecharging socket 18, whereas the slave 12 is connected only to thealternating current distribution 20, direct current distribution 22 andcommunication line between the master 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates, by way of example, the sequence of a method 30according to the invention in the situation according to FIG. 1.

The starting point of the method 30 is formed by the installation (step32) of the on-board chargers 10, 12 in the vehicle. The first on-boardcharger 10 is connected (step 34) to the charging socket 18, alternatingcurrent distribution 20, direct current distribution 22 andcommunication. The second on-board charger 12 is installed (step 36 onlyat the alternating current distribution 20, direct current distribution22 and communication. The on-board charger 10 is connected (step 38) tothe charging socket 18, whereas the on-board charger 12 is not connected(step 40 to the charging socket 18.

The steps illustrated in hatched form in FIG. 2 can be assigned to thelearning phase of the underlying algorithm.

In the case of the on-board charger 10, a proxy resistor of the chargingsocket 18 initially is queried (step 44). Since the proxy resistor ispresent (step 46), the on-board charger 10 is coded (step 48) as themaster by virtue of its relevant programmable logic controller beingactivated. During this master configuration (steps 48, 50, 52), theon-board charger 10, on the one hand, configures (step 50) a CAN matrixstored in the on-board charger 10 as master and therefore activates theinstruction set for controlling the charging of the subsequent slaveon-board charger 12. On the other hand, the on-board charger 10configures (step 52) its history memory as master, thus defining, interalia, the conditions for a charging request of 22 kW by the on-boardcharger 10.

After the described master configuration 48, 50, 52, the on-boardcharger 10 transmits (step 54) a signal (flag) on the CAN and waits forthe relevant confirmation by the further on-board charger 12 provided asthe slave for a predefined period (timeout 58), preferably in seconds.If the acknowledgement by the on-board charger 12 were absent (step 60)over this period, the on-board charger 10 would configure itself (step62) for individual operation (standalone) with a total charging power of11 kW and would make a corresponding diagnosis (step 64).

However, even the on-board charger 12 which is not connected (66) to thecharging socket 18 queries its proxy resistor (step 68). Since the proxyresistor is not present here (step 70), the on-board charger 12 isconfigured as a slave (step 72) by virtue of the programmable logiccontroller reserved only for the master 10 being deactivated.

During the slave configuration (steps 72, 74, 76), the on-board charger12 also configures the CAN matrix (step 74) stored therein as slave andtherefore activates the instruction set for controlling the charging bythe master 10; it also configures (76) its history memory as slave, thusdefining the conditions for a charging request of 22 kW by the on-boardcharger 12.

After this slave configuration 72, 74, 76, the on-board charger 12 getsready to receive the signal on the CAN (step 78). During the periodpredefined for this purpose (step 80), the on-board charger 12 in thepresent scenario actually receives the signal (step 82), configuresitself (step 84) for paired operation with a total charging power of 22kW and transmits the relevant confirmation (step 84), via the CAN, tothe master 10 which in turn receives the confirmation (step 86).

In view of the acknowledgement given, the on-board charger 10 nowconfigures the 22 kW charging system (step 88) in the vehicle, adjuststhe charging power calculation to 22 kW (step 90), adaptivelyparameterizes the system automatically to 22 kW (step 92), startscommunication in the vehicle (step 94) and stores all settings in themaster 10 and in the slave on-board charger 12.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for setting up an on-board charger in anelectrically driven vehicle, comprising: querying whether a proxyresistor of a charging socket of the vehicle is present, carrying out amaster configuration of the on-board charger if the proxy resistor ispresent; and carrying out a slave configuration of the on-board chargerif the proxy resistor is not present.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: activating a programmable logic controller of the on-boardcharger if the master configuration is carried out; and deactivating theprogrammable logic controller if the slave configuration is carried out.3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: using the on-board chargerto configure a CAN matrix stored in the on-board charger during themaster configuration or the slave configuration; and using the on-boardcharger to configure a history memory of the on-board charger during themaster configuration or the slave configuration.
 4. The method of claim3, further comprising: transmitting a signal from the on-board chargervia a CAN of the vehicle and waiting for a confirmation of the signal bya further on-board charger for a predefined period after the masterconfiguration; and using the on-board charger to configure itself forindividual operation if the confirmation is absent over the period; andmaking a diagnosis during individual operation.
 5. The method of claim4, further comprising: using the further on-board charger to configureitself for paired operation if the further on-board charger receives thesignal inside the period and transmitting the confirmation via the CAN;and receiving the confirmation by the on-board charger and configuringthe paired operation in the vehicle.
 6. The method of in claim 5,further comprising: using the on-board charger to adjust a chargingpower calculation to the paired operation after the on-board charger hasconfigured the paired operation; carrying out a parameterization for thepaired operation; and initiating a communication via the CAN and storingsettings in the on-board chargers.
 7. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: preparing the on-board charger to receive a signal via a CANof the vehicle after the slave configuration; and waiting for apredefined period.
 8. An apparatus for carrying out the method of claim1, comprising: means for querying a proxy resistor of a charging socketof a vehicle; means for the master configuration of an on-board chargerof the vehicle if the proxy resistor is present; and means for the slaveconfiguration of the on-board charger if the proxy resistor is notpresent.
 9. A computer program that is set up to carry out all steps ofthe method of claim
 1. 10. A machine-readable storage medium having thecomputer program of claim 9 stored thereon.